Linde opens world’s first helium production plant in southern hemisphere

Actualités du secteur d’activité

Munich, 3 March 2010 - Linde Gases, a division of The Linde Group, today announced the official opening of its helium production plant in Australia. The plant, located in Darwin in the Northern Territory, is not only the first helium production facility in the southern hemisphere but is also the industry’s first significant helium source to begin operations since Linde brought its Algerian joint venture plant on-stream in 2006. The new plant in Darwin represents a major achievement for the company and its Australian subsidiary, BOC South Pacific.

The plant will produce 150 million cubic feet of helium a year - enough to supply Australia’s domestic needs as well as providing capacity for export to New Zealand and to Asian markets.

As helium is produced at a limited number of sources around the world and demand for the gas has increased globally – most notably within the Asia Pacific region - the new plant, along with access to helium produced in Qatar, Algeria and the US, will provide Linde with multiple sources of helium capable of serving the needs of this growing market.

“In addition to securing helium volume for our customers, the Darwin plant continues our crucial and industry-leading diversification of sourcing. It also reinforces our position in Australia and gives us a key platform for servicing customers in Asia,” said Steve Penn, Global Head of Merchant and Packaged Gases, Linde. “With global demand for helium expected to increase, the plant is undoubtedly good news not only for the Asia Pacific region but for the entire world.”

Attending the opening ceremony and declaring the plant open was Australia’s Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson and the Chief Minister of Australia’s Northern Territory, Paul Henderson.

About The Linde Group

The Linde Gases Division, part of the Linde Group, is a leader in the international industrial and healthcare gases markets, providing compressed, bulk, specialty and medical gases, as well as chemicals to virtually all fields of industry globally. The company adds value to its customers’ businesses through the provision of state-of-the-art application technology, process know-how, services and equipment.

The Linde Group is a world leading gases and engineering company with almost 50,000 employees working in over 100 countries worldwide. In the 2008 financial year it achieved sales of EUR 12.7 billion. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards earnings-based and sustainable growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.